B
Barricade V
Guest
haha that was me
Babolat String Playtest-March 2010
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
haha that was me
nhat8121
Semi-Pro
i find that hard to believe,,,,,feel in a poly,,,who would have heard such a thing ???
if only TW had send you a pack of this string...oh well, it'll come out soon enough.
First report - Babolat B-432C 130/16
Well, I finally got to playtest this string today. (I have purposely not read any of the other playtester reviews.)
Temp was mid-60s, outdoors (a beautiful sunny morning), hard court, played 2 1/2 hours of doubles.
Full B-432C @ 58 lbs (10% less than my usual 64.5)
POG OS (1 stripe), 16X19, 365 grams / 12.87 ozs / 9.2 pts HL
Dropping the tension 10% below my normal, I found good power -- quite comparable to my usual nat gut/syn gut hybrid, in fact. Ball feel was very good, including on delicate half-volleys coming into net. Comfort was a pleasant surprise -- no impact harshness and no elbow or shoulder twinges afterwards. Excellent direction control (I'm guessing depth control would be excellent also -- I didn't attempt to change my mostly-flat strokes today to take advantage ). Slice bhs were noticeable for their bite and penetration -- they stayed very low (nice!).
I don't play polys much, but this is one I would definitely consider. My nat gut hybrid pockets the ball and then launches it back with excellent pop and control whereas the B-432C grabs the ball by crushing (flattening) it and sending it off.. chastened, shall we say?.. and with also-excellent pop. In comparison, a mid-price multi string job felt pretty dull and wimpy.
My apologies for not reporting sooner. A series of false starts and mishaps, including one of my stringers (and a longtime friend) being diagnosed with cancer
.
Well, I finally got to playtest this string today. (I have purposely not read any of the other playtester reviews.)
Temp was mid-60s, outdoors (a beautiful sunny morning), hard court, played 2 1/2 hours of doubles.
Full B-432C @ 58 lbs (10% less than my usual 64.5)
POG OS (1 stripe), 16X19, 365 grams / 12.87 ozs / 9.2 pts HL
Dropping the tension 10% below my normal, I found good power -- quite comparable to my usual nat gut/syn gut hybrid, in fact. Ball feel was very good, including on delicate half-volleys coming into net. Comfort was a pleasant surprise -- no impact harshness and no elbow or shoulder twinges afterwards. Excellent direction control (I'm guessing depth control would be excellent also -- I didn't attempt to change my mostly-flat strokes today to take advantage ). Slice bhs were noticeable for their bite and penetration -- they stayed very low (nice!).
I don't play polys much, but this is one I would definitely consider. My nat gut hybrid pockets the ball and then launches it back with excellent pop and control whereas the B-432C grabs the ball by crushing (flattening) it and sending it off.. chastened, shall we say?.. and with also-excellent pop. In comparison, a mid-price multi string job felt pretty dull and wimpy.
My apologies for not reporting sooner. A series of false starts and mishaps, including one of my stringers (and a longtime friend) being diagnosed with cancer
.
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HitItHarder
Semi-Pro
Played a match this weekend with the string. Conditions were very similar to the initial hit (60 degrees, outdoors, hard courts).
I wish I had strung this higher. After the initial tension loss after stringing and the first three hour hitting session, the string seemed to lack some of the control I had earlier -- which I attribute to tension loss. Considering the comfort of the string, I wish I had strung it closer to 60lbs.
Today, I had trouble keeping flat shots in and had to resort to hitting heavier topspin. I also seemed to lose some of the directional control I had in the first hitting session. Serve and slice were still great, though.
Overall, still a good impression on the string. I would just say be careful how low you string it, as a higher tension seemed to help balance the control aspects of the string while still giving you comfort.
Toad
Rookie
Thanks TW for giving me the opportunity to playtest this string.
Updates are in bold.
Summary: This string is slightly above average in most areas. For me, it was excellent for touch, volleys, and serves, but drops tension very fast and is difficult to control when going for a shot. For the home stringer or someone who doesn't mind cutting out strings after a couple weeks, this would be a good poly if priced in the $8.00 to $12.00 range...anything over that and you are better off getting Luxilon.
Updates are in bold.
Summary: This string is slightly above average in most areas. For me, it was excellent for touch, volleys, and serves, but drops tension very fast and is difficult to control when going for a shot. For the home stringer or someone who doesn't mind cutting out strings after a couple weeks, this would be a good poly if priced in the $8.00 to $12.00 range...anything over that and you are better off getting Luxilon.
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russell
Semi-Pro
About me:
Massively aggressive and impatient all-courter, always looking for opportunities to push or crush the ball. Love to approach the net and explode into the ball for winners or kiss the ball with a finesse shot at a nasty angle. Mostly a flat hitter but I do use a little topspin when needed.
Playing Conditions:
Outdoor hardcourt, 54°F with SW winds @ 7-10 mph, 34°F Dew Point, 33% Humidity
short drilling session followed by a few sets
Setup:
56/54 lbs on my Volkl PB10 MP (18x20)
Think of The Power!:
I don't normally use 16 gauge polys and I didn't expect to rip monsters through the fence with it. I felt the string had ample power for a poly -- just a lil' bit less juice than my normal setup (Cyberflash 17/Gosen OG Micro 17 @ 54/55 lbs), not a lot. After two hours of hitting, the string settled and I was at home. Next time I'd string a bit lower in these conditions to adjust the power level to what I'm used to.
Feel:
Overall, the feel of this string is superb. It really shines if you like to hit with a lot of power and are seeking more comfort without sacrificing control. It felt a bit like Pro Supex BAM (18,17) or SP Hyperion (17) with much more bite. I'd say it's a little less crisp than Kirschbaum Pro Line 2. The string felt clean and lush on my forehands and backhands. For me, there was a lack of feedback on touch volleys, but if you like a dampened response on your touch shots, this is your string. You can really feel the string grab the ball on slices and loopy topspin shots -- loaded with control.
Tension maintenance:
There was a noticeble drop in tension around the 6-7 hour mark which caused some loss of control for me; balls were sailing a tad long so I had to use more spin to keep the balls in. The string also played a bit stiffer for me from that point on. This is where I'd normally cut it.
Impressioni:
I really surprised with the nice mix of feel, control, and spin potential this string offered (in 16 gauge no less! wa-wa-wi-wa) I was disappointed that it wasn't as durable as I'd hoped, but if it's priced right, this may be my go to string from time to time.
A big up to TW for letting me in on this playtest. Gracias!
Massively aggressive and impatient all-courter, always looking for opportunities to push or crush the ball. Love to approach the net and explode into the ball for winners or kiss the ball with a finesse shot at a nasty angle. Mostly a flat hitter but I do use a little topspin when needed.
Playing Conditions:
Outdoor hardcourt, 54°F with SW winds @ 7-10 mph, 34°F Dew Point, 33% Humidity
short drilling session followed by a few sets
Setup:
56/54 lbs on my Volkl PB10 MP (18x20)
Think of The Power!:
I don't normally use 16 gauge polys and I didn't expect to rip monsters through the fence with it. I felt the string had ample power for a poly -- just a lil' bit less juice than my normal setup (Cyberflash 17/Gosen OG Micro 17 @ 54/55 lbs), not a lot. After two hours of hitting, the string settled and I was at home. Next time I'd string a bit lower in these conditions to adjust the power level to what I'm used to.
Feel:
Overall, the feel of this string is superb. It really shines if you like to hit with a lot of power and are seeking more comfort without sacrificing control. It felt a bit like Pro Supex BAM (18,17) or SP Hyperion (17) with much more bite. I'd say it's a little less crisp than Kirschbaum Pro Line 2. The string felt clean and lush on my forehands and backhands. For me, there was a lack of feedback on touch volleys, but if you like a dampened response on your touch shots, this is your string. You can really feel the string grab the ball on slices and loopy topspin shots -- loaded with control.
Tension maintenance:
There was a noticeble drop in tension around the 6-7 hour mark which caused some loss of control for me; balls were sailing a tad long so I had to use more spin to keep the balls in. The string also played a bit stiffer for me from that point on. This is where I'd normally cut it.
Impressioni:
I really surprised with the nice mix of feel, control, and spin potential this string offered (in 16 gauge no less! wa-wa-wi-wa) I was disappointed that it wasn't as durable as I'd hoped, but if it's priced right, this may be my go to string from time to time.
A big up to TW for letting me in on this playtest. Gracias!
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Review
* playing conditions (temperature, indoor/outdoor, court surface)
Outdoors, 60 degrees F, hard court
* tension it is strung (please do not hybrid)
55 lbs
* String pattern of your racquet
16x20, 98 sq. inch headsize (Babolat Pure Storm GT)
* power (or lack there of)
I would say low to mid level of power for what I am used to
* feel
Plastic and rubbery feeling, not crispy or precise
* tension maintenance (how long it holds its tension)
Good tension maintenance, I haven't noticed any reduction over a week
* likes/dislikes and why
I did not like the string. I think it might be due to the fact that I never play with 16 gauge strings (I usually use 18 or 17 gauge), and I hybrid all of my co-polys with synthetic gut. Due to the restrictions of this play test I strung my racquet fully with the prototype, and I wasn't too happy with the outcome. It just lacks spin potential and has a plastic and dead feel to it. Perhaps I should have tried a bit lower tension; I will try it again today (played with it a total of 4 hours so far) and if I change my mind a bit I will make another post.
* playing conditions (temperature, indoor/outdoor, court surface)
Outdoors, 60 degrees F, hard court
* tension it is strung (please do not hybrid)
55 lbs
* String pattern of your racquet
16x20, 98 sq. inch headsize (Babolat Pure Storm GT)
* power (or lack there of)
I would say low to mid level of power for what I am used to
* feel
Plastic and rubbery feeling, not crispy or precise
* tension maintenance (how long it holds its tension)
Good tension maintenance, I haven't noticed any reduction over a week
* likes/dislikes and why
I did not like the string. I think it might be due to the fact that I never play with 16 gauge strings (I usually use 18 or 17 gauge), and I hybrid all of my co-polys with synthetic gut. Due to the restrictions of this play test I strung my racquet fully with the prototype, and I wasn't too happy with the outcome. It just lacks spin potential and has a plastic and dead feel to it. Perhaps I should have tried a bit lower tension; I will try it again today (played with it a total of 4 hours so far) and if I change my mind a bit I will make another post.
Second session
I'm really liking this string. There's a liveliness to the string bed that feels and sounds really good -- and yet there's also very good control and bite on the ball. My 1h topspin bhs had great depth and dove down nicely just inside the baseline.
Excellent touch on half volleys and volleys. I had great fun hitting some very delicate ones.
No noticeable drop in tension so far (3 1/2 hours).
Rallied, did some drills, and played some points today for about 90 minutes. Nice day, temp in the mid-50s, outdoor hard court.
I'm really liking this string. There's a liveliness to the string bed that feels and sounds really good -- and yet there's also very good control and bite on the ball. My 1h topspin bhs had great depth and dove down nicely just inside the baseline.
Excellent touch on half volleys and volleys. I had great fun hitting some very delicate ones.
No noticeable drop in tension so far (3 1/2 hours).
diredesire
Moderator
About me: Aggressive topspin forehand, mix up of slice and topspin off the back hand side. I like coming to net, but have been sucking it up big time lately. I'm short (~5'5") so my serve is primarily a topspinny one, not focusing on utmost speed.
Playing Conditions: All indoor, hard courts, slightly gritty, balls like to kick up. Weather is moderately cold, damp, Pacific NW weather.
Tension: Strung at 57 in a Dunlop AG 100 (90 si).
String Pattern: 16x19
Power: I thought this string was relatively low on the power scale, I was working pretty hard to generate pace, but the ball would also tend to sail on me a little bit if I wasn't swinging fast enough to get some spin on the ball. I'd attribute this largely to the gauge.
Feel: This is a weird one to comment on... I thought the feel of the string was slightly too muted for my tastes, but I never really felt many bad vibes from the string. It felt very solid, and well struck balls would result in a satisfying "thud," but in terms of ball feel, i felt that this string was lacking. Volleys would feel solid coming off my string bed, but I'd have no idea where in the hoop I'd hit. This truly isn't a deal breaker characteristic of a string, but I like to know how I'm hitting, and if/when I need to focus more, or if I'm moving sloppily, etc. It's frustrating figuring out whether or not you're truly having an off day (poor results vs poor play) with no feedback.
Spin: Spin generation for the gauge was OK, I wouldn't rate it that highly (as some others did). Gauge for gauge, I think something like Topspin Cyberflash would best this in pure spin generation. I think in terms of bite, this string has potential for a lot, but my strokes didn't really produce it (which is rare to say, since I hit a full western forehand).
Comfort: I'll be honest, while the feel of the string is muted, I felt a little discomfort when hitting with this string. This could be entirely because the string has low feedback, and I was just hitting a little bit late over and over, but my wrist started to twinge slightly, so I took frequent breaks when using this string.
Tension maintenance: Good, a little too good. I honestly do think I strung this string a little too tight, and I had this (major) issue when I played with Leopard Control +. I was hoping after a day or two that the string would drop in tension, and really open up the possibilities of how it could play, considering I only had one set, and couldn't drop it a few lbs. However, in terms of feel, the string maintained its playing characteristics throughout the playtest, and I felt that this was one of the string's (few, for me) positive notes.
Likes: Solid string bed feel, Tension maintenance
Dislikes: Mostly everything else. I probably would have really liked this string in a thinner gauge, and at a lower tension.
Playing Conditions: All indoor, hard courts, slightly gritty, balls like to kick up. Weather is moderately cold, damp, Pacific NW weather.
Tension: Strung at 57 in a Dunlop AG 100 (90 si).
String Pattern: 16x19
Power: I thought this string was relatively low on the power scale, I was working pretty hard to generate pace, but the ball would also tend to sail on me a little bit if I wasn't swinging fast enough to get some spin on the ball. I'd attribute this largely to the gauge.
Feel: This is a weird one to comment on... I thought the feel of the string was slightly too muted for my tastes, but I never really felt many bad vibes from the string. It felt very solid, and well struck balls would result in a satisfying "thud," but in terms of ball feel, i felt that this string was lacking. Volleys would feel solid coming off my string bed, but I'd have no idea where in the hoop I'd hit. This truly isn't a deal breaker characteristic of a string, but I like to know how I'm hitting, and if/when I need to focus more, or if I'm moving sloppily, etc. It's frustrating figuring out whether or not you're truly having an off day (poor results vs poor play) with no feedback.
Spin: Spin generation for the gauge was OK, I wouldn't rate it that highly (as some others did). Gauge for gauge, I think something like Topspin Cyberflash would best this in pure spin generation. I think in terms of bite, this string has potential for a lot, but my strokes didn't really produce it (which is rare to say, since I hit a full western forehand).
Comfort: I'll be honest, while the feel of the string is muted, I felt a little discomfort when hitting with this string. This could be entirely because the string has low feedback, and I was just hitting a little bit late over and over, but my wrist started to twinge slightly, so I took frequent breaks when using this string.
Tension maintenance: Good, a little too good. I honestly do think I strung this string a little too tight, and I had this (major) issue when I played with Leopard Control +. I was hoping after a day or two that the string would drop in tension, and really open up the possibilities of how it could play, considering I only had one set, and couldn't drop it a few lbs. However, in terms of feel, the string maintained its playing characteristics throughout the playtest, and I felt that this was one of the string's (few, for me) positive notes.
Likes: Solid string bed feel, Tension maintenance
Dislikes: Mostly everything else. I probably would have really liked this string in a thinner gauge, and at a lower tension.
arche3
Banned
finlly received my playtest strings. review below. played 2 hours doubles 4.5 league and 2 hours singles.
playing conditions: indoor hard court
tension it is strung: 55lbs.
String pattern: 16x19 (babolat apdc)
power: medium
feel; good
tension maintenance: after 4 hours good. (will update after a week)
remarks:
i really liked this string. if i pull on the strings it feels almost identical to a msv focus hex 1.18 strings. the way the strings slip and slide around each other is very similar to the focus hex but slicker. the babolat string feels slicker to the touch though than any other string job in my racket bag. (one msv focus hex 1.18 55lbs. luxlilon alu power 55 lbs. lux alu power M/ vs gut C 16 hybrid 58/62 lbs)
in terms of power it is right between focus hex 1.18 and alu power i think. it has the pop but just a bit tamed compared to alu power.
control and spin were excellent. i was able to hit all out on all strokes and the ball had excellent pace and had the "drop" that dips and kicks. love it. compared to my other rackets the babolat string had slightly more spin than alu power and about the same to focus hex 1.18.
volleys were excellent. nice predictable response and good directional control.
serves were great. not as much pace as my alu/gut hybrid but my first serve percentage was up with the test string. much better on serve than focus hex 1.18 and comparable to full bed of alu power. so it is a great serving poly for me. 2nd serves kicked and or spun exactly as i willed it.
comfort is the plus for this string. it is softer than alu power. softer than focus hex 1.18 as well by a small amount.
this will be my string of choice when it is released. it gives me the confidece to hit all out at will. something i do with alu power and focus hex as well. but what this babolat string does is it combines a powerfull string with great control. it has great access to spin and pace.
i feel this string is superior to alu power. it has the luxlilon pop with more control.
way superior to msv focus hex 1.18. same control but much more power on tap when you crank the whip.
the reason i carry rackets strung with alu power and rackets strung with focus hex is because some days i wanted more power (alu) and some days more control (focus hex). this string does both superbly. im sold. sell this already!
playing conditions: indoor hard court
tension it is strung: 55lbs.
String pattern: 16x19 (babolat apdc)
power: medium
feel; good
tension maintenance: after 4 hours good. (will update after a week)
remarks:
i really liked this string. if i pull on the strings it feels almost identical to a msv focus hex 1.18 strings. the way the strings slip and slide around each other is very similar to the focus hex but slicker. the babolat string feels slicker to the touch though than any other string job in my racket bag. (one msv focus hex 1.18 55lbs. luxlilon alu power 55 lbs. lux alu power M/ vs gut C 16 hybrid 58/62 lbs)
in terms of power it is right between focus hex 1.18 and alu power i think. it has the pop but just a bit tamed compared to alu power.
control and spin were excellent. i was able to hit all out on all strokes and the ball had excellent pace and had the "drop" that dips and kicks. love it. compared to my other rackets the babolat string had slightly more spin than alu power and about the same to focus hex 1.18.
volleys were excellent. nice predictable response and good directional control.
serves were great. not as much pace as my alu/gut hybrid but my first serve percentage was up with the test string. much better on serve than focus hex 1.18 and comparable to full bed of alu power. so it is a great serving poly for me. 2nd serves kicked and or spun exactly as i willed it.
comfort is the plus for this string. it is softer than alu power. softer than focus hex 1.18 as well by a small amount.
this will be my string of choice when it is released. it gives me the confidece to hit all out at will. something i do with alu power and focus hex as well. but what this babolat string does is it combines a powerfull string with great control. it has great access to spin and pace.
i feel this string is superior to alu power. it has the luxlilon pop with more control.
way superior to msv focus hex 1.18. same control but much more power on tap when you crank the whip.
the reason i carry rackets strung with alu power and rackets strung with focus hex is because some days i wanted more power (alu) and some days more control (focus hex). this string does both superbly. im sold. sell this already!
Snipergene
Rookie
Playing conditions (temperature, indoor/outdoor, court surface) – 70 degrees outdoors in sunny Southern California, hardcourt.
Tension strung – strung 54 lbs, one piece.
String pattern of your racquet – 16 x 19, Babolat APDC.
Power – average power, nothing close to Lux BB but not bad.
Feel – very soft for a poly, I noticed this on the very first ball hit with this string. If I didn’t know it was a poly I would say it feels as soft as a multi.
Tension maintenance – too early to say, played 2 ½ hours today.
Likes/dislikes – soft feeling is a big plus for this string, only average/decent power and spin.
For future I would string it a little lower to see if I could get a bit more pop on the ball. Would like to try a 17 or 18 gauge version as well.
Tension strung – strung 54 lbs, one piece.
String pattern of your racquet – 16 x 19, Babolat APDC.
Power – average power, nothing close to Lux BB but not bad.
Feel – very soft for a poly, I noticed this on the very first ball hit with this string. If I didn’t know it was a poly I would say it feels as soft as a multi.
Tension maintenance – too early to say, played 2 ½ hours today.
Likes/dislikes – soft feeling is a big plus for this string, only average/decent power and spin.
For future I would string it a little lower to see if I could get a bit more pop on the ball. Would like to try a 17 or 18 gauge version as well.
arche3
Banned
update: played the past 3 days outside in sunny 75 degree weather. for about 10 more hours. so total time on string job 14 hours plus or minus.
the strings still felt good. not much different than the first few hours. control is still present as well as spin and pop. comfort is the same. tension is holding up well. not enough to notice any change.
diredesire
Moderator
I think this string has potential to be "superior" to PHT for some players, just not for me. I like the feel of this string, but it's just lacking to me in performance. I thought PHT had a more "zippy" character to it, but the feel was a little too ... hollow? for me. I like the feel of substance in a string, but the PHT felt slightly too buzzy, although it didn't really vibrate. Hard to describe, for sure.
Fedace
Banned
I know what you mean. i have been using PHT for last 3 years. PHT feels more crispy, more tinny on impact. but it has decent pop for a spin string. Did you think RPM blast was more or less powerful than Pro hurr tour ???
diredesire
Moderator
Definitely less, to me
The PHT I played with was 17G, though, this test set played pretty fat, but i never took out my calipers to measure.
gino
Legend
You said you play tested with a Prestige Pro, but in your video you are stringing a midplus? I also play with the MG Prestige MP. Let me know which one you actually used. Thanks for the video and review btw.
Thanks
drakulie
Talk Tennis Guru
Hi, Gino. Yes, I playtested the string with a Prestige Pro. The video provided shows me stringing it up. Remember, the Prestige Pro says, "midplus" on the frame.
gino
Legend
Thanks for letting me know and for replying to my youtube comment. Great video on youtube and review. Appreciate it.
YULitle
Hall of Fame
Late, I know...
B-432C
Black
16 gauge
60 lbs. in a Fischer Pro No1
Pre-stringing:
Feels nice in hand. Anticipating stiff poly-like play.
Felt nice the first time out, quickly lost playability (~ 6 hours (not consecutive, over a weeks time)).
Before it faded away there were high points.
Spin: Wonderful spin. Nothing spectacular relative to most other polys, but certainly delivers.
At the net: unlike some other polys I've hit with, the net play was tolerable. I have issues with getting depth on my shots at the net with other polys. It didn't seem to be an issue here.
Not a lot of velocity on serves, but placement was decent.
Ground strokes dropped right where I wanted them until the strings gave, then they sailed on me.
Overall, I don't think it positively affected my game, but I'm not a poly player, so I didn't expect it to. I had the same joy of being able to hit tremendous spin and the same let down when it died out. :/ I'm concerned that my predisposition has affected my objectivity.
B-432C
Black
16 gauge
60 lbs. in a Fischer Pro No1
Pre-stringing:
Feels nice in hand. Anticipating stiff poly-like play.
Felt nice the first time out, quickly lost playability (~ 6 hours (not consecutive, over a weeks time)).
Before it faded away there were high points.
Spin: Wonderful spin. Nothing spectacular relative to most other polys, but certainly delivers.
At the net: unlike some other polys I've hit with, the net play was tolerable. I have issues with getting depth on my shots at the net with other polys. It didn't seem to be an issue here.
Not a lot of velocity on serves, but placement was decent.
Ground strokes dropped right where I wanted them until the strings gave, then they sailed on me.
Overall, I don't think it positively affected my game, but I'm not a poly player, so I didn't expect it to. I had the same joy of being able to hit tremendous spin and the same let down when it died out. :/ I'm concerned that my predisposition has affected my objectivity.
Not really...the string is what it is...for you! I don't think any poly is as good or as bad as what we thing...it depends what you like, need.
Every player has to find his own set-up.
B-432C will be for some players at certain tensions and for others...nothing at all.
Thanks for the review.
karophiteblu
Semi-Pro
how does the RPM blast compare to the luxilon alu power rough in terms of tension loss, performance durability, and softness? thanks!!
amorco
Rookie
Compare to Luxilon, the tension loss is about the same, there is no significant difference like all polys. Performance, well I don't think any strings out there could beat Luxilon ALU, ALU rough, and the Original. ALUs is combined with power, feel, ball pocketing, durability that only gut strings can provide without the durability. The only thing RPM has an advantage is the softness. It is definitely much softer than ALUs, and that takes away the feel and power because it is much softer. Overall, it is a great string, if not I don't think Nadal and Tsonga, would be using it.
karophiteblu
Semi-Pro
Compare to Luxilon, the tension loss is about the same, there is no significant difference like all polys. Performance, well I don't think any strings out there could beat Luxilon ALU, ALU rough, and the Original. ALUs is combined with power, feel, ball pocketing, durability that only gut strings can provide without the durability. The only thing RPM has an advantage is the softness. It is definitely much softer than ALUs, and that takes away the feel and power because it is much softer. Overall, it is a great string, if not I don't think Nadal and Tsonga, would be using it.
Alright thanks for your information! I was starting to worry about regretting buying my Luxilon alu rough reel. But not anymore! Maybe it's still a good idea to try one though
SOY78
Professional
* Playing conditions: 50 degrees F, outside, hard-court.
* Tension it is strung: 50#
* String pattern of your racquet: 16x19
* Power: 6/10
* Feel: 6/10
* Tension maintenance: Too early to tell
* Likes/dislikes and why: Like the fact that this string has a lot more bite then what I am used to. Dislike the fact that I really had to flatten out my strokes for the ball to go between the serviceline and baseline. Dislike the fact that the stringbed had a annoying ping to it even with rubberband dampener (I think I have to tie another knot on it so the ping would go away)
Otherwise the 45min I played with this string it was a control and spin string. In the last 45 minutes I dialed in my ground strokes and was hitting a very consistently (we just tried to rally and keep the ball in play) I think one time we managed over 50 hits until my arm got tired and I netted the ball. More review to come as I play with this stringbed more and more.
* Tension it is strung: 50#
* String pattern of your racquet: 16x19
* Power: 6/10
* Feel: 6/10
* Tension maintenance: Too early to tell
* Likes/dislikes and why: Like the fact that this string has a lot more bite then what I am used to. Dislike the fact that I really had to flatten out my strokes for the ball to go between the serviceline and baseline. Dislike the fact that the stringbed had a annoying ping to it even with rubberband dampener (I think I have to tie another knot on it so the ping would go away)
Otherwise the 45min I played with this string it was a control and spin string. In the last 45 minutes I dialed in my ground strokes and was hitting a very consistently (we just tried to rally and keep the ball in play) I think one time we managed over 50 hits until my arm got tired and I netted the ball. More review to come as I play with this stringbed more and more.
JRProstaf9
Rookie
Sorry for the late update/review. I was finnally able to string up a racket and get a decent hit in with the strings. Results below:
Racquet: Wilson (K) Six-one Team
String: Babolat 432-C, Gauge: 16
Tension: 63lbs
String Pattern: One Piece
Court Surface: Indoor Clay
Hours of Use: 5 Teaching, 2 Playing, 7 Total
Playing Condition: Cool slightly humid from indoor bubble
Stringing
Like everyone else noticed the immediate uncooiling out of the packet and immediately thought of Babolat Hurricane which is my usual poly of choice.
Stringing was fairly easy as is my experience with most poly strings and noticed that the string did not kink very easily. Completed the mains quickly @ 63lbs and found there was a fairly good bed to begin crosses. Normally this is where I clip and begin the crosses with a highly playable synthetic however I went ahead with the one piece string as reccomended by TW. Strung up the crosses also @ 63lbs and as expected offered up a very tight/firm/stiff racket face.
Immediately my concerns went straight to my wrist/elbow wondering if i really should have strung the racket up at al tension more suited for a synthetic as opposed to adjusting tension for a poly. Normally I'll string up my frames with mains @ 58lbs (Babolat hurricane) and @63/65 crosses (depending on gauge and if high/low end synthetic).
The racket then sat over night to allow for the strings to settle.
Teaching
I taught for 5 hours the next day and immediate concern again went to my wrist and elbow wondering if stringing this "poly" string at a high tension. Off the first feed I noticed that I had to give my feeds a little extra in order to get any depth as balls seemed to land short and stay low with the usual feeding motion/technique. Found I had to adjust feeding style in oder to get depth however found control to be fairly good as I was able to apply different spins/depth/height depending on what my students were working on.
Every now and then I would return a feed via volley and instantly noticed that off center shots felt a bit awkward however on center shots seemed to pop right off strings with decent control. Like the feeds I also noticed that I had to generate power on my own if I wanted to apply any depth to the volleys.
After teaching I was relieved to see that I hadn't expereienced any significant wrist/elbow pain and was optimistic.
General Hitting
I was able to hit for 15 minutes and immediately noticed the quality of the ball comming off the strings. The strings generally felt good and was surprised that despite its firm/tight tension it they did not offer nearly as much negative feed back as I had assumed.
Ground Strokes - Starting off easy I noticed fairly decent spin comming off without much effort. Additionally I noticed how comfortable the strings felt with each stroke. I soon began to apply more spin and was able to feel/see the spin comming off my shots even more so than normal. Overall I liked how the balls seemed to drop in easily when taking bigger swings.
Volleys - As stated before volleys felt awkward however all shots off the sweet spot felt nice and firm. I did feel a decent amount on control despite applying additional power to some volleys
Serves - Immediately noticed I was able to generate decent spin without allot of effort. Flat, slice, and kick serves felt comfortable with decent control and still had not felt any pain associated with "too tight" strings.
Pros: Easy to string. soft/cushiony feel. Decent spin production. Offered good control on bigger shots.
Cons: Requires player to provide much of their own power. Wouldn't reccomend for those looking for strings to assist on power. Would have liked to test strings as a 2 piece set up with a high end synthetic like babolat xcel or gamma fat core/live wire or Wilson NXT. Not enough time to determine durability.
Overall: Good feel, comfortable even though it is very stiff, Requires player to supply power, Reccomend for advanced intermediate to advanced players comfortable with long/full swings.
Big thanks to TW for letting me participate in this playtest/demo and hope to be part of many more in the future!
Racquet: Wilson (K) Six-one Team
String: Babolat 432-C, Gauge: 16
Tension: 63lbs
String Pattern: One Piece
Court Surface: Indoor Clay
Hours of Use: 5 Teaching, 2 Playing, 7 Total
Playing Condition: Cool slightly humid from indoor bubble
Stringing
Like everyone else noticed the immediate uncooiling out of the packet and immediately thought of Babolat Hurricane which is my usual poly of choice.
Stringing was fairly easy as is my experience with most poly strings and noticed that the string did not kink very easily. Completed the mains quickly @ 63lbs and found there was a fairly good bed to begin crosses. Normally this is where I clip and begin the crosses with a highly playable synthetic however I went ahead with the one piece string as reccomended by TW. Strung up the crosses also @ 63lbs and as expected offered up a very tight/firm/stiff racket face.
Immediately my concerns went straight to my wrist/elbow wondering if i really should have strung the racket up at al tension more suited for a synthetic as opposed to adjusting tension for a poly. Normally I'll string up my frames with mains @ 58lbs (Babolat hurricane) and @63/65 crosses (depending on gauge and if high/low end synthetic).
The racket then sat over night to allow for the strings to settle.
Teaching
I taught for 5 hours the next day and immediate concern again went to my wrist and elbow wondering if stringing this "poly" string at a high tension. Off the first feed I noticed that I had to give my feeds a little extra in order to get any depth as balls seemed to land short and stay low with the usual feeding motion/technique. Found I had to adjust feeding style in oder to get depth however found control to be fairly good as I was able to apply different spins/depth/height depending on what my students were working on.
Every now and then I would return a feed via volley and instantly noticed that off center shots felt a bit awkward however on center shots seemed to pop right off strings with decent control. Like the feeds I also noticed that I had to generate power on my own if I wanted to apply any depth to the volleys.
After teaching I was relieved to see that I hadn't expereienced any significant wrist/elbow pain and was optimistic.
General Hitting
I was able to hit for 15 minutes and immediately noticed the quality of the ball comming off the strings. The strings generally felt good and was surprised that despite its firm/tight tension it they did not offer nearly as much negative feed back as I had assumed.
Ground Strokes - Starting off easy I noticed fairly decent spin comming off without much effort. Additionally I noticed how comfortable the strings felt with each stroke. I soon began to apply more spin and was able to feel/see the spin comming off my shots even more so than normal. Overall I liked how the balls seemed to drop in easily when taking bigger swings.
Volleys - As stated before volleys felt awkward however all shots off the sweet spot felt nice and firm. I did feel a decent amount on control despite applying additional power to some volleys
Serves - Immediately noticed I was able to generate decent spin without allot of effort. Flat, slice, and kick serves felt comfortable with decent control and still had not felt any pain associated with "too tight" strings.
Pros: Easy to string. soft/cushiony feel. Decent spin production. Offered good control on bigger shots.
Cons: Requires player to provide much of their own power. Wouldn't reccomend for those looking for strings to assist on power. Would have liked to test strings as a 2 piece set up with a high end synthetic like babolat xcel or gamma fat core/live wire or Wilson NXT. Not enough time to determine durability.
Overall: Good feel, comfortable even though it is very stiff, Requires player to supply power, Reccomend for advanced intermediate to advanced players comfortable with long/full swings.
Big thanks to TW for letting me participate in this playtest/demo and hope to be part of many more in the future!
Toad
Rookie
So is this official confirmation that the playtest was, as thought, RPM Blast?
Fedace
Banned
YES, it has. at least for me. i got a confirmation email from TW
gino
Legend
West Coast Ace
G.O.A.T.
Excellent! I'm planning on putting it in a MG Prestige (Mid) too. Awaiting your report.
I was hoping to buy some when I was in Rome at the men's Masters 1000 event - the stringing area was open to the public - and Babolat had a large on-site store - but weren't selling RPM Blast (that I could tell - not a lot of English being spoken there and my Spanish wasn't working
).
Fedace
Banned
Lets hope it plays sweet and make you a blue chip player...
gino
Legend
Haha Fedace, you are too much my man. We'll see how it goes...
gino
Legend
Excellent! I'm planning on putting it in a MG Prestige (Mid) too. Awaiting your report.
I was hoping to buy some when I was in Rome at the men's Masters 1000 event - the stringing area was open to the public - and Babolat had a large on-site store - but weren't selling RPM Blast (that I could tell - not a lot of English being spoken there and my Spanish wasn't working
I'll update you after my first hit. Review to come soon....
ryangoring
Professional
Ok I'm late and I do apologize. Here you go.
Racket used: Wilson Pro Tour BLX.
String Tension: 59lbs
Court surface: hard courts.
Player: 3.5 with a 1HBH.
Stringing: when I took it out, the string was not stiff to the touch, silky smooth, and the memory coil was very little to me. I strung it up on a Czech MS-700, drop weight. Had no problems with stringing this string.
Serving: Enjoyed the consistent pop from the string - you got exactly what you put into it, hard flat, wide kick, Serves were probably the most fun.
Ground strokes: String held up fine on both sides, harder to achieve the desired depth on FH/BH - the string was comfortable and the spin was some what lacking there but it was very tough to take a big enough cut to place a hard, deep, low return. Access to slice from both sides was just average.
Volleys: This was probably my favorite aspect of the string. It had a comfortable ride at net, able to place the touch shots and move the ball. I would have preferred to place the deep volleys a tad better but overall I was most happy with this string while plying at net
Positives: Smooth comfortable ride in the beginning, nice touch, not as harsh on the arm as some similar options
Negatives: Low-power, not enough string bite on spin or slices.
Racket used: Wilson Pro Tour BLX.
String Tension: 59lbs
Court surface: hard courts.
Player: 3.5 with a 1HBH.
Stringing: when I took it out, the string was not stiff to the touch, silky smooth, and the memory coil was very little to me. I strung it up on a Czech MS-700, drop weight. Had no problems with stringing this string.
Serving: Enjoyed the consistent pop from the string - you got exactly what you put into it, hard flat, wide kick, Serves were probably the most fun.
Ground strokes: String held up fine on both sides, harder to achieve the desired depth on FH/BH - the string was comfortable and the spin was some what lacking there but it was very tough to take a big enough cut to place a hard, deep, low return. Access to slice from both sides was just average.
Volleys: This was probably my favorite aspect of the string. It had a comfortable ride at net, able to place the touch shots and move the ball. I would have preferred to place the deep volleys a tad better but overall I was most happy with this string while plying at net
Positives: Smooth comfortable ride in the beginning, nice touch, not as harsh on the arm as some similar options
Negatives: Low-power, not enough string bite on spin or slices.
Less spin compared to which strings?
Fedace
Banned
ODD,,,from what you say, you get pretty good pop on the serves but yet you say it is Low power.......Doesn't make any sense.......
ryangoring
Professional
Sorry i should have been a bit more specific. But TF Black Code and Signum Hyperion.
ryangoring
Professional
Hey Fedace, poor choice of words on my part, but the serves felt nice, easy swinging and some good response from the strings, nice feel, crisp sound when struck in the sweet spot. I felt real good! But on ground strokes I felt I wasn't getting enough punch or power when hitting. I can generate the power but it lacked in some for me. Yes I know I have a low powered racket for some, but the strings, IMO, didn't give me the power I thought I was going to get from it.ODD,,,from what you say, you get pretty good pop on the serves but yet you say it is Low power.......Doesn't make any sense.......
austinjbrunner
Rookie
Racket used: HEAD Microgel Radical Pro.
String Tension: 60 lbs
Hard court
All right, now that I have tried this I can review it. I apologize for the lateness. Only had one set of string and it broke.
Power - 9/10
I had a fair amount of power when I really ripped the ball. I felt like I could take a good cut at the ball and it popped right off the strings. The power of this string was good for my game.
Control - 8/10
As I stated before, I could whack the ball and it tended to land inside the baseline. I gave it an 8 because my slice shots seemed to be a bit off. They tended to float a bit despite the fact I was cutting the ball pretty hard. It could have been anything, but I am just going off my experience.
Spin - 9/10
I'd say Luxilon Big Banger had a bit more spin, but RPM Blast appeared to have more spin than say a Hurricane for strings to compare to. Top spin was easy to find with these strings in simplest terms.
Serves - 8/10
I tended to go long on my serves compared to other strings such as Hurricane or Luxilon which is strange for me, I tend to miss in the net. That being said, I got good variety with these strings, good power and good kick serves.
Volleys 9/10
Volley were very crisp. I had good, deep volleys that were placed well in the court. I had good feel at net and had an amazing half volley drop shot for match point in my match.
Overall, I love these strings. As I said, I feel like I can take a good cut at the ball almost anytime I want without repercussions. The downside is that these strings have broken twice for me when stringing, which is mostly like the stringers fault (me) and not the string itself, but it's something to note I guess. Also, the price is a bit steep, although I would not say that they are not worth it compared to the people who pay for natural gut. Hope this helps and questions are welcome.
String Tension: 60 lbs
Hard court
All right, now that I have tried this I can review it. I apologize for the lateness. Only had one set of string and it broke.
Power - 9/10
I had a fair amount of power when I really ripped the ball. I felt like I could take a good cut at the ball and it popped right off the strings. The power of this string was good for my game.
Control - 8/10
As I stated before, I could whack the ball and it tended to land inside the baseline. I gave it an 8 because my slice shots seemed to be a bit off. They tended to float a bit despite the fact I was cutting the ball pretty hard. It could have been anything, but I am just going off my experience.
Spin - 9/10
I'd say Luxilon Big Banger had a bit more spin, but RPM Blast appeared to have more spin than say a Hurricane for strings to compare to. Top spin was easy to find with these strings in simplest terms.
Serves - 8/10
I tended to go long on my serves compared to other strings such as Hurricane or Luxilon which is strange for me, I tend to miss in the net. That being said, I got good variety with these strings, good power and good kick serves.
Volleys 9/10
Volley were very crisp. I had good, deep volleys that were placed well in the court. I had good feel at net and had an amazing half volley drop shot for match point in my match.
Overall, I love these strings. As I said, I feel like I can take a good cut at the ball almost anytime I want without repercussions. The downside is that these strings have broken twice for me when stringing, which is mostly like the stringers fault (me) and not the string itself, but it's something to note I guess. Also, the price is a bit steep, although I would not say that they are not worth it compared to the people who pay for natural gut. Hope this helps and questions are welcome.
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Fedace
Banned
How is it possible that on the serves, it gave you good power but not when hitting groundies ??? makes little sense.
Fedace
Banned
how can Big banger give more spin, this RPM is rough edges and is designed for spin. BB has no such shape, it is just round. I thought Pro Hurricane tour gave more spin that the Luxilon BB.
austinjbrunner
Rookie
Just giving my opinion my friend. I would say Big Banger gave more outright spin, but RPM was a better blend of spin and power. With Big Banger, I tended to hit heavy, heavy top spin that would land short often. With this string, my shots had plenty of top spin, but also landed deep in the court.
I'm just going off of my experience, I am sorry I didn't provide scientific evidence to support this claim, it's just what I felt from the two strings.
Fedace
Banned
do you think flat balls are better ? i know this is contrary to popular beliefs. but heavy topspin balls tend to sit up but flat hard balls really skid thru and rob you of time. if you ever played a flat hard hitter, you would know what i mean..
